Ukrainian court ruling sows confusion before vote

A top court in Ukraine yesterday overturned some legal changes intended to cut election fraud, a day before a rerun of a presidential vote that has become a test of democratic legitimacy and national identity.

The Constitutional Court handed down its ruling less than 24 hours before polls open in today's rerun of the annulled election in which liberal challenger Viktor Yushchenko is now favoured against Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich.

The decision was likely to cause confusion at the close of a long campaign marked by invective and dirty tricks. But officials predicted the vote would produce a legitimate leader.

The court ruled that provisions of a new electoral law limiting the right of infirm voters to cast ballots at home were unconstitutional and reinstated old procedures. But the court chairman said most of the law remained intact.